LITERATURE + LECTURES

The World Affairs Council of Houston presents The Jesse H. and Mary Gibbs Jones Award International Citizen of the Year.

Recognizing
Douglas L. Foshee
El Paso Corporation

Speaker
Richard Armitage (pictured)
Former United States Deputy Secretary of State

Each year the World Affairs Council honors a Houstonian who—in the spirit of Jesse and Mary Gibbs Jones—has contributed to the international life of the city. Jesse H. Jones was visionary in his recognition that the city’s future depended on our international engagement and was largely responsible for securing the funding for the Houston ship Channel. He built Houston—including hotels, newspapers, banks, and office buildings—and accomplished even more in public service. He served as director general of the American Red Cross in World War One, chairman of the Reconstruction Finance Corporation, and Secretary of Commerce. Mrs. Jones joined him in concern for the education of our children.

The World Affairs Council is Houston’s most prestigious citizen’s forum. With over 7,000 members, it is now one of the largest and most successful in the nation. Through varied and balanced programs, the Council presents information on historic and current global issues, furthers understanding of international relations and foreign policy, and contributes to national and international policy debates. The result is a better educated citizenry and the advancement of Houston as an international center.

Douglas L. Foshee is president, chief executive officer, and a director of El Paso Corporation, one of North America’s largest natural gas producers. His career in energy includes having worked at Halliburton as executive vice president and chief financial officer and at Nuevo Energy Company as president, chief executive officer, and chairman of the board. Foshee also served with Torch Energy Advisors Inc. and ARCO International Oil and Gas Company.

Foshee is a member of the Council of Overseers for the Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Management at Rice University and a trustee of Rice University. He also serves on the boards of directors of The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, Houston Branch; Central Houston, Inc.; Greater Houston Partnership; and is a member of the Independent Petroleum Association of America. Foshee is a trustee of KIPP’s and serves on the boards of Children’s Museum of Houston, and Texas Business Hall of Fame Foundation. He is a recipient of the 2007 Ellis Island Medal of Honor for his leadership in the community and his commitment to helping children succeed. We gratefully acknowledge these sponsors who support our mission of international education:

Richard L. Armitage became Deputy Secretary of State in 2001. For four years, he served with Colin Powell, crafting US foreign policy in response to the challenges of terrorism, failing states, and increasing economic interdependence.

Born in 1945, Richard Armitage graduated from the United States Naval Academy. He served on a destroyer during the Vietnam War, becoming fluent in Vietnamese. After the Navy, he joined the Office of Defense Attache in Ho Chi Minh City – ex-Saigon.

He has served our country as Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia and Pacific Affairs, and in the office of the Secretary of Defense.

Mr. Armitage has earned the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service four times, the Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service, the Department of State Distinguished Honor Award, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Award for Outstanding Public Service. He has also received the Presidential Citizens Medal.